Tiddly winks target board

ABSTRACT

A game unit including a frame having a rim and a plurality of pockets with a central through-hole void zone therebetween and within the bounds of the rim and pockets, for enabling play from said central void zone into selected ones of said pockets. The frame may be vertically reversible to turn pockets upside down, with pockets having a high upper edge facing the void zone when turned up on one side and a lower height upper edge facing the void zone when turned up on the other side as compared to a table or floor or other supporting surface for the frame, thereby providing for the playing of tiddly winks or similar snap or flip action games from said central void zone, at two levels of difficulty.

United States Patent Einstein [151 3,705,724 51 Dec. 1 2, 1972 [73]Assignee: Affiliated Hospital Products, Inc., St.

Louis, Mo.

22 Filed: Feb.2 0, 1970 [21] App1.No.: 12,954

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 12/1930 Mann ..273/123R1/1901 Fuller ..273/12 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATlONS Great Britain..273/95 E Primary Examiner-Anton O. Oechsle Assistant Examiner-MarvinSiskind Attorney-Reginald F. Pippin, Jr.

[57] ABSTRACT A game unit including a frame having a rim and a pluralityof pockets with a central through-hole void zone therebetween and withinthe bounds of the rim and pockets, for enabling play from said centralvoid zone into selected ones of said pockets. The frame may bevertically reversible to turn pockets upside down, with pockets having ahigh upper edge facing the void zone when turned up on one side and alower height upper edge facing the void zone when turned up on the otherside as compared to a table or floor or other supporting surface for theframe, thereby providing for the playing of tiddly winks or similar snapor flip action games from said central void zone, at two levels ofdifficulty.

8 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures PATENTEU DEC 12 I972 sum 1 or 2 FlG.l

PATENTEU DEC 12 I972 SHEET 2 or 2 FIG.4

FIG. 5

TIDDLY WINKS TARGET BOARD This invention relates to game units, and moreparticularly to a game unit on which tiddly winks type games may beplayed.

It is a feature of the present invention to provide a game unit whichwill enable the playing of tiddly winks games or other snap or flipaction games, at two levels of difficulty.

Still a further feature is the provision of a game unit which enablesthe play of a rotation type of tiddly winks or other snap or flip actiongame.

Still other features and attendant advantages will become apparent tothose skilled in the art from a reading of the following detaileddescription of an embodiment according to the invention, taken inconjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is aperspective view of a game unit as to the invention.

FIG. 2 is a partial section view on line 2-2 of FIG. 1, showing a cornerand adjacent open center zone of the embodiment of FIG. 1, andschematically illustrating playing action with wink pieces.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view similar to FIG. lof the embodiment of FIG.1 vertically reversed, with the previously bottom side up.

FIG. 4 is a partial section view on line 4-4 of FIG. 3 similarly to thesection view of FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is a further fragmentary section view on line 55 of FIG. 3.

Referring now in detail to the Figures of the drawing, a generallysquare frame unit 11 is provided, having four straight side walls 13,four pocketed corner sections 15 and an open center zone 17. Thecornersections 15 are shown curved in the illustrated embodiment, butmay be straight angled and formed by intersecting continuations ofstraight side walls 13, if desired, or other corner configurations 15,such as diagonal corners, may be employed as desired.

Pocketed corner sections 15 eachhave a reversible pocket 17 in the formof a reversible net 17a which is secured in each respective cornersection 15 by a spring wire form 17b engaging therethrough and seatedwithin a groove 21 formed in the corner section 15. Each seating groove21 is formed in the rounded comer section 15 and the facing diagonalcross member 19 which forms the inner front edge of each respectivepocket 17.

The diagonal cross member 19 is suitably secured to, or formed integralwith, the upstanding side walls '15 as by cement, nails, staples,integral mold forming, or otherwise as desired. The diagonal crossmembers 19 are at the same height at all four corners, but arevertically closer to the effective unit supporting edge surface 13a ofwalls 13 on one side than on the other, thereby providing a lowereffective pocket front upper surface 19a for the pocket-bounding crossmember 19 when the frame unit is positioned on one side as shown in FIG.1 as compared to the reversed position of .unit 11 as shown in FIG. 3,with a substantially higher front effective upper obstacle surface 19bfor the respective pockets 17. Thus, corner pockets 17 are disposed withthe effective inner front upper edges 19a or 19b at materially differentheights, dependent upon which side of the game unit is up, with theother side supported on the table T or floor or the like. This creates aselective dual pocket height, which enables the play of a tiddly winksor other flip or snap action game at dual degrees of difficulty. Theprovision of the pockets 17 at the four corners of the unit enables therotational play by the players from pocket to pocket about the annularperiphery of'the frame unit, or the play into a separate pocket by eachplayer as may be provided by the rules or as may bedesired by theplayers.

The manner of play and the dual difficulty play positions of the frameunit are shown respectively in FIGS. 1 and 2 (low level of difficulty)and FIGS. 3 and 4 (higher level of difficulty). FIG. 5 illustrates theseating of the bent ends 17b of the mounting wire ring 171; in thesection 21a of groove 21 formed on the net side of diagonal member 19.

While the invention has been illustrated and described with respect to asingle illustrative embodiment of the invention, it will be apparentthat various modifications and improvements may be made withoutdeparting from the scope and spirit of the invention. For instance,various shapes of reversible corner pockets 17, diagonal members 19 andside walls 13 may be formed while still carrying out the basic inventiveconcept of reversible dual difficulty pocketed frame unit. Accordingly,the invention is not to be limited by the particular illustrativeembodiment, but only by the scope of the appended claims.

That which is claimed is:

1. A selectively dual difficulty multi-pocketed tiddly winks game unitfor resting on a supporting surface to enable play of tiddly winks orother snap action game by snapping winks or other playing pieces from aboundedplaying field formed on such supporting surface into selectivelyvariable height surrounding raised edged pockets in said game unit,comprising a frame having a rim and a plurality of reversible pockets atspaced positions about the rim,

each of said pockets having individual boundingedge-forming meansforming first and second vertically reversibleoppositely laterallyfacing effective lateral edge surfaces for the respective said pocket,

said two effective lateral edge surfaces of each said pocket beingeffectively spaced a different distance from correspondingly lateralfacing surfaces of said rim, whereby said reversible pockets may beselectively fixed at either of two different heights above a supportingsurface as a direct function of supporting said game unit withselectively one or the other of said lateral facing rim surfaces restingon such flat supporting surface, to thereby selectively dispose one orthe other of the effective lateral edge surfaces in an upwardly fac- Iing direction as an effective selected height obstacle to ballisticentry of snapped playing pieces into said pockets,

said frame having a substantial laterally open zone forming athrough-hole between said pockets for use in player snap action intosaid pockets from that portion of a supporting surface underlying saidthrough-hole and bounded by said rim'and pockets.

2. A game unit according to claim 1,

said frame being quadrilaterally polygonal, and said through-holeforming alarge open central void extending between said pockets,

said pockets being formed at all four corners of said quadrilaterallypolygonal frame.

3. A game unit according to claim 2,

each of said pockets having an individual bounding edge-forming meansfacing on said open central through-hole void and comprising a cornerbrace extending between two respective adjoining side walls of said rimat each respective corner and pocket.

4. A game unit according to claim 3,

each of said corners having reversible flexible nets forming verticallyoppositely extendible playingpiece-receiving sections of said pockets.

5. A multi-pocketed tiddly winks game unit for resting on a supportingsurface to enable play of tiddly winks or other snap action game bysnapping winks or other playing pieces from a bounded playing fieldformed on such supporting surface into surrounding raised edged pocketsin said game unit, comprising a frame unit freely invertible from afirst position to a second invertibly reversed position and having a rimand a plurality of pockets at spaced positions about the rim, saidpockets being so constructed as to be accessible to a wink passingthereinto when said frame unit is in either of said positions,

said frame unit having a substantial laterally open totally through-voidzone forming a complete and unencumbered through-hole between saidpockets, said through-void zone being of effectively materially largersize than a human hand and adjoining arm portion for use in player snapaction into said pockets from that portion of a separate supportingsurface underlying said through-hole and bounded by said rim and pocketsand on which separate surface said frame may be freely invertibly placedin supported relation thereby, to enable said separate supportingsurface to serve as the center and exterior base for snap action intosaid pockets.

6. A game unit according to claim 5,

said frame being quadrilaterally polygonal, and said through-holeforming a large open central void extending between said pockets,

said pockets being formed at all four corners of said quadrilaterallypolygonal frame.

7. A game unit according to claim 5,

each of said pockets having an individual boundingedge-forming meansfacing on said open central through-hole void and comprising a cornerbrace member secured to and extending between two respective adjoiningside walls of said rim at each respective corner and pocket.

8. A game unit according to claim 6,

each of said pockets having an individual boundingedge-forming meansfacing on said open central through-hole void and comprising a cornerbrace extending between two respective adjoining side walls of said rimat each respective corner and pocket.

1. A selectively dual difficulty multi-pocketed tiddly winks game unitfor resting on a supporting surface to enable play of tiddly winks orother snap action game by snapping winks or other playing pieces from abounded playing field formed on such supporting surface into selectivelyvariable height surrounding raised edged pockets in said game unit,comprising a frame having a rim and a plurality of reversible pockets atspaced positions about the rim, each of said pockets having individualbounding-edge-forming means forming first and second verticallyreversible oppositely laterally facing effective lateral edge surfacesfor the respective said pocket, said two effective lateral edge surfacesof each said pocket being effectively spaced a different distance fromcorrespondingly lateral facing surfaces of said rim, whereby saidreversible pockets may be selectively fixed at either of two differentheights above a supporting surface as a direct function of supportingsaid game unit with selectively one or the other of said lateral facingrim surfaces resting on such flat supporting surface, to therebyselectively dispose one or the other of the effective lateral edgesurfaces in an upwardly facing direction as an effective selected heightobstacle to ballistic entry of snapped playing pieces into said pockets,said frame having a substantial laterally open zone forming athrough-hole between said pockets for use in player snap action intosaid pockets from that portion of a supporting surface underlying saidthrough-hole and bounded by said rim and pockets.
 2. A game unitaccording to claim 1, said frame being quadrilaterally polygonal, andsaid through-hole forming a large open central void extending betweensaid pockets, said pockets being formed at all four corners of saidquadrilaterally polygonal frame.
 3. A game unit according to claim 2,each of said pockets having an individual bounding edge-forming meansfacing on said open central through-hole void and comprising a cornerbrace extending between two respective adjoining side walls of sAid rimat each respective corner and pocket.
 4. A game unit according to claim3, each of said corners having reversible flexible nets formingvertically oppositely extendible playing-piece-receiving sections ofsaid pockets.
 5. A multi-pocketed tiddly winks game unit for resting ona supporting surface to enable play of tiddly winks or other snap actiongame by snapping winks or other playing pieces from a bounded playingfield formed on such supporting surface into surrounding raised edgedpockets in said game unit, comprising a frame unit freely invertiblefrom a first position to a second invertibly reversed position andhaving a rim and a plurality of pockets at spaced positions about therim, said pockets being so constructed as to be accessible to a winkpassing thereinto when said frame unit is in either of said positions,said frame unit having a substantial laterally open totally through-voidzone forming a complete and unencumbered through-hole between saidpockets, said through-void zone being of effectively materially largersize than a human hand and adjoining arm portion for use in player snapaction into said pockets from that portion of a separate supportingsurface underlying said through-hole and bounded by said rim and pocketsand on which separate surface said frame may be freely invertibly placedin supported relation thereby, to enable said separate supportingsurface to serve as the center and exterior base for snap action intosaid pockets.
 6. A game unit according to claim 5, said frame beingquadrilaterally polygonal, and said through-hole forming a large opencentral void extending between said pockets, said pockets being formedat all four corners of said quadrilaterally polygonal frame.
 7. A gameunit according to claim 5, each of said pockets having an individualbounding-edge-forming means facing on said open central through-holevoid and comprising a corner brace member secured to and extendingbetween two respective adjoining side walls of said rim at eachrespective corner and pocket.
 8. A game unit according to claim 6, eachof said pockets having an individual bounding-edge-forming means facingon said open central through-hole void and comprising a corner braceextending between two respective adjoining side walls of said rim ateach respective corner and pocket.